The Logan Place Market in downtown Renton will receive a $1.5 million grant to help fund construction and renovation of the old Pavilion Building, thanks to the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill passed in Congress.

The city purchased the Pavilion Building, a former automobile dealership, in 2004. Since that purchase, the city has reported explosive growth, particularly among communities of color who now comprise 58% of Renton’s population.

According to a report in the 2023-2025 Capital Budget Request, the city sees a “dire” need to refurbish the Pavilion Building to create a “new heartbeat in the center of downtown,” and to bring new opportunities and access to historically disadvantaged communities. The vision for the Logan Place Market aims to do just that.

The plan is to transform the old Pavilion Building into a flexible use space that can host small businesses, pop-ups and other community enterprises that could be used on a daily basis.

Plans for the Pavilion Building, first outlined in a Civic Core planning document, call for the Pavilion to be renovated into a more “vibrant” Logan Place Market with retail space, rotating vendors and business incubator space on the inside, complemented by a welcoming public square on the outside.

In some preliminary discussions by Renton leaders and stakeholders about the potential uses for the Logan Place Market, some envisioned permanent kitchen spaces for pop-ups and ghost kitchens as well as partnerships with Renton Technical College to allow hand-on learning experiences for certain trade programs.

The square outside the Logan Place Market will focus on community spaces to include seating, play areas, gathering spots, and hosting events. Public access to restrooms has also been discussed to help provide longer visitation access to the public square.

With logistics and planning still to be done on the project, it is unclear how the facility will be operated as a venue for pop-ups, Renton Technical College students, and other community events on a daily basis. The City is currently reviewing options to lease the facility to an operator who will manage facility usage, according to a city spokesperson.

The city has also asked the state Legislature for $2 million in 2023 — half allocated to pre-construction design and half allocated to building out key portions of the initial space with necessary fixtures for the public square to support the Logan Place Market.

Communications and Engagement Director for the City of Renton, Laura Pettitt, said the city is working with an architectural firm to finalize three concepts with an estimated timeline for submission in February 2023.

Design and permitting will take place in 2023, with construction starting in early 2024.